The 13th Hintze Biannual Lecture delivered by Professor David Spergel Observations of the microwave background, the left-over heat from the big bang, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and the properties of distant supernova have led to a remarkable simple model for our universe. With only five parameters (the density of atoms, the density of matter,
the age of the universe, the amplitude of fluctuations in the early universe and their scale dependance), this model can fit a host of astronomical observations. We have now determined these basic parameters at the few percent level or better. While simple, our universe is very strange. Atoms make up only 5% of the universe, most of the universe is made of mysterious dark matter and dark energy. We do not understand how the universe began or why there is more matter than anti-matter. I will review our current understanding and look forward to future measurements that can address these big open questions.

The 13th Hintze Biannual Lecture delivered by Professor David Spergel Observations of the microwave background, the left-over heat from the big bang, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and the properties of distant supernova have led to a remarkable simple model for our universe. With only five parameters (the density of atoms, the density of matter, the age of the universe, the amplitude of fluctuations in the early universe and their scale dependance), this model can fit a host of astronomical observations. We have now determined these basic parameters at the few percent level or better. While simple, our universe is very strange. Atoms make up only 5% of the universe, most of the universe is made of mysterious dark matter and dark energy. We do not understand how the universe began or why there is more matter than anti-matter. I will review our current understanding and look forward to future measurements that can address these big open questions.

Our Simple but Strange Universe

The Department of Physics public lecture series. An exciting series of lectures about the research at Oxford Physics take place throughout the academic year. Looking at topics diverse as the creation of the universe to the science of climate change. 

Features episodes previously published as:
(1) 'Oxford Physics Alumni': "Informal interviews with physics alumni at events, lectures and other alumni related activities."
(2) 'Physics and Philosophy: Arguments, Experiments and a Few Things in Between': "A series which explores some of the links between physics and philosophy, two of the most fundamental ways with which we try to answer our questions about the world around us. A number of the most pertinent topics which bridge the disciplines are discussed - the nature of space and time, the unpredictable results of quantum mechanics and their surprising consequences and perhaps most fundamentally, the nature of the mind and how far science can go towards explaining and understanding it. Featuring interviews with Dr. Christopher Palmer, Prof. Frank Arntzenius, Prof. Vlatko Vedral, Dr. David Wallace and Prof. Roger Penrose."

Education

The Department of Physics public lecture series. An exciting series of lectures about the research at Oxford Physics take place throughout the academic year. Looking at topics diverse as the creation of the universe to the science of climate change. Features episodes previously published as: (1) 'Oxford Physics Alumni': "Informal interviews with physics alumni at events, lectures and other alumni related activities." (2) 'Physics and Philosophy: Arguments, Experiments and a Few Things in Between': "A series which explores some of the links between physics and philosophy, two of the most fundamental ways with which we try to answer our questions about the world around us. A number of the most pertinent topics which bridge the disciplines are discussed - the nature of space and time, the unpredictable results of quantum mechanics and their surprising consequences and perhaps most fundamentally, the nature of the mind and how far science can go towards explaining and understanding it. Featuring interviews with Dr. Christopher Palmer, Prof. Frank Arntzenius, Prof. Vlatko Vedral, Dr. David Wallace and Prof. Roger Penrose."

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Our Simple but Strange Universe

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